Virginia

[Maggiesdad]

Buying through the mail from the hatcheries is fine - you get a better shot at getting what you want.

Or go to the swaps, like was mentioned a few posts back...

 

[real_redhead]

Northern VA in Leesburg.

Doing more chicken research, today....looking at this one:

- AMERAUCANAS

I'm eggless and eager to get started, but trying to avoid making any rookie mistakes. The local TSC was selling chics, and I went by today to see what breeds they had just to do some research, and they were no longer selling anything.

Did I miss my window for getting started? Am I going to have to find someone getting rid of chickens, or is buying through the mail a good alternative to picking up locally?

Check Craigslist (I bought a EE last year from CL), check the board at TSC (usually in the back by the bathrooms) where people put up post, ask the TSC employees - the ones here buy up the chicks right before they get a new shipment so they might have some to sell. I live in Roanoke and the TSC here usually has chicks for a few more weeks. Chicks come in at TSC on Monday mornings so give them a call and see if they have gotten anything. If you have a Southern States they sometimes have chicks. I placed my first mail order in March because I wanted specific breeds, since I picked 7 different breeds they won't ship until the first of June. And keep checking BYC, lots of swaps going on and people getting rid of extras, once I get mine I will need to find homes for about 7 of them since I ordered too many! Good luck!

 

[canesisters]

Not only have I not been to a chicken swap - I've never been to ANY sort of swap. So if you're at Gilmanor, I'll be the one wandering around looking like a tourist. Hoping to meet some other BYC'ers there.

Is there a code word or secret BYC handshake so I'll know them?

 

[canesisters]

Wow... TOTALLY organized. I am so impressed.

So here's 'the plan'. We'll be arriving in a pickup with one of those shells over the bed. I'm bringing a friend who thinks she's along for the ride..actually she's an extra set of hands to tote things.

I'm hoping to pick up maybe a dozen chicks. I hadn't considered having to provide food and water between leaving the swap and getting home.. it's only about 90mins. but I just checked and the little 1qt water er that I have fits nicely inside my big carrier and I think that I can set it up to hang. (Won't it just slosh around and soak everyone???) Food will either have to wait or be in a small crock dish.
Can I carry chicks from one booth to another in a little carrier? I would hate to keep taking them to the truck 1 or 2 at a time.. and if it's really warm that day.. the back of the truck will get HOT. I'm not sure what good 'swap manners' would be. I wouldn't want to make anyone mad by bringing my chicks around their birds ... How does that work??

I'm going to pick up the brooder from a friend next weekend so it will be all set up and ready before I leave home that morning.
I'm probably obsessing about this but I've been waiting for these chicks for years and I SO want it to be a pleasant experience - for all of us.
* carriers (3) - check!
* food & water - check!
* food and water dishes - only have one set.. will have to pick up a few more waterers between now and then - gonna need them anyway.
* bag of shavings for bedding - check!
* baby wipes and hand sanitizer - check!
* someone to drag me to the truck and drive off with me before I get tooo carried away - check!
* brooder box w/all equip. from chicken-experienced friend - check!
* shed on the way to be coop once fluffy chicks become feathered chickens - check!
* poles / wire / roofing for run to be attached once the shed arrives - check!
* paint to make old grey shed pretty for newly feathered chickens - check!
* ridiculously underestimated amount of time set aside for said shed to become coop and run - check!
* wonderfully supportive group of on line folks to run to every time one of the fluffy chicks/feathered chickens does something odd or cute or funny or scary or nasty or weird - check!

I JUST found out that the brooder box I'm picking up this weekend is 7 FEET LONG!

I knew that they raised a lot of chicks every year for meat... but that seems like a MONSTER BROODER.
Hummmm..... I think that I just might have room for more than a dozen chicks.
Maybe I'd better take 2 friends to drag me back to the truck before I get too carried away at the swap.

 

[samcountrygirl]

we are in Southampton county Va, In Courtland we have a variety of feathered friends. Chickens, Quail, Ducks, Doves, Guineas, Pheasants, Chukars, and Peafowl 4 dogs and 4 cats

 

[KDbeads]

Hi samcountrygirl!

Do you plan on coming to the swap in Franklin on May 19th? And do you sell any of your quail? I'm thinking about starting in quail, not sure what I want to start with though!

 

[Deviant]

code word or secret BYC handshake

I think it is "Hey do I know you from some where?" and then you say "Are you clucking at me? Are you clucking at me? I think you are clucking at me" LOL just playing yup I need sleep

 

[manaze88]

Check Craigslist (I bought a EE last year from CL), check the board at TSC (usually in the back by the bathrooms) where people put up post, ask the TSC employees - the ones here buy up the chicks right before they get a new shipment so they might have some to sell. I live in Roanoke and the TSC here usually has chicks for a few more weeks. Chicks come in at TSC on Monday mornings so give them a call and see if they have gotten anything. If you have a Southern States they sometimes have chicks. I placed my first mail order in March because I wanted specific breeds, since I picked 7 different breeds they won't ship until the first of June. And keep checking BYC, lots of swaps going on and people getting rid of extras, once I get mine I will need to find homes for about 7 of them since I ordered too many! Good luck!

Thanks....checked CL, no dice there. Still, some interesting finds, I'll continue to check it, daily! Called my local TSC, and they are done with chics. They don't have any boards, either....must not be rural enough out here to get that. I tried to check with Southern States, but the phone was having issues, and I never got through. Maybe today. I did find a site where I could order a small number, but the smaller the number, the higher the shipping. For 4 chics, it was going to be $38 shipping. If I can't find anything local, in the next week, I may break down and go that route. At this point, I'm sticking to my guns, and going what I initially started out with (the EE).

Thanks for the help and advice (that goes for everyone). In the meantime, if anyone hears/finds someone with EE's, keep me in mind!

 

[canesisters]

Manaze88 (showing my appaling ignorance here) how far is Leesburg from Ashland? There is a swap meet there on the 5th. I'm sure you could find some chicks there.

 

[STM060929]

we're just over the border of VA, on the NC side; less then hour from Hampton Roads. Anyone out this way- Chesapeake, VBeach, Norfolk?